1. My heart pounded with anxiety as I neared the grey door to the pathology lab. Deep inside, I was gripped by an overwhelming sense of doubt: would I be able to handle the sight? What lay only three steps ahead of me would be nothing like the colorful anatomy pictures I had casually skimmed through in my Physiology class. The necropsy I was to observe would enliven the flat pages of illustrations into a tangible surprise. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. The door clicked open.
The pungent scent of blood, hinted with the sharp sting of antiseptic, overwhelmed my senses.Hearing the abrupt gasp of my classmates, I whipped my head forward to see the spectacle before me. The cow's expansive skin hung flaccid from an enormous hook from the ceiling. Around it, scientists were examining each bit of viscera; muscles both smooth and striated were probed, piecing together the story of the cause of death.The creature's large stomach, ravaged by an aggressive pus infection, was placed at our feet to examine. .
To my surprise, I was otherwise...fascinated. Before me was not just anatomy alone, but an artistic masterpiece of nature. The cow's limp skin had become a canvas illustriously freshly painted with brushstrokes of crimson blood, dripping in thin streams. My curiosity pressed on to examine the mapwork of blood vessels; The gossamer webwork of red and blue lines still emanated with a vibrancy that that had nurtured the body for years. But underneath all these arts, an esoteric story of the creature's life still emanated from the corpse, a story of pain as the body was torn by malignant disease. Amidst the spectacle, the dull, lifeless eyes begged not be forgotten.
Walking out of the room, I came out with a profound appreciation for all things hidden to the naked eye. Perhaps it was the intricacy of that engrossed me the most in those few minutes; seeing what vibrant organs laid underneath the familiar blankness of skin transfixed me. The cadaver was not just a pure specimen, but also a piece art. Although some withdraw from the atrocity of a dissection, I cannot help but marvel its inherent beauty. As I pursue my desires in the medical field, my fingertips await the opportunity to further explore the underlying mysteries of the body.
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Any suggestions to shorten this essay? Thank you in advance!
WOW, what a powerful essay! I could really feel all your emotions and I too felt apprehensive as you were going to open the door. I didn't find any errors, but can you read my common app essay. Thanks!
To my surprise, I was otherwise...fascinated. -----I like this line, but I want to somehow make "otherwise" fit. It does not seem to need to be there, but it is nice there because of the rhyme.
You could take the sentence off the end, I guess. It is cool to end something abruptly when it is really powerful.
Perhaps it was the intricacy of that engrossed me the most in those few minutes; seeing what vibrant organs laid underneath the familiar blankness of skin transfixed me. The cadaver was not just a pure specimen, but also a piece art. Although some withdraw from the atrocity of a dissection, I cannot help but marvel its inherent need a better adjective) beauty. As I pursue my desires in the medical field, my fingertips await the opportunity to further explore the underlying mysteries of the body.
